We Have An Announcement
by Ravendor Gryffinclaw
Summary: This is a sequel to 'A Desperate Charge' in which Eragon and Arya tell their friends of their engagement.
1. Roran

"Thank the Gods!" shouted Roran.

He ran up the steps of the deceased King's throne room. He promptly slipped on the blood adorning the floor and crashed into Eragon and Arya who were still on top of each other. He grinned sheepishly as the newly engaged couple groaned.

"I can't tell you how glad I am to see you alive Eragon," said Roran, "I thought for sure I saw Galbatorix stab you. I thought you were dead."

"Not quite, I'm glad to say," replied Eragon, wincing as his new muscles screamed in protest as he stood up, "Glaedr is gone, but he truly wished to be with Oromis, so I don't believe it was any sacrifice on his part."

Roran blinked slowly. He never had understood all this business with the Riders and their dragons. He just knew Eragon was a rider, Galbatorix was an evil one, and Murtagh had recently defected back to the Varden once he had saved a very confused Elva from betraying them all to the King.

"Could you please clarify that?" asked Roran.

"I only just heard it myself," said Eragon as he helped Arya up, "I'm not completely clear on all the details either."

_**Glaedr used all of his energy, **_said Saphira, _**He saved Eragon as his last act, and his usage of that much energy at once was too much for his Eldunari to bear. Those pieces you see are what's left of it. Glaedr had too propel so much energy in so little time that the stress of it just caused it to split.**_

"And it's the best thing he ever did." said Arya as put her hand on Eragon's shoulder and leaned agains him for support, battle fatigue had finally set in as the adrenaline left her system.

"I quite agree with you Arya. Saving Eragon was..." he stopped suddenly, eyes widening. Suddenly, far faster than Arya thought humanly possible, he lashed out and grabbed Arya's wrist, snatching her hand off of Eragon.

"Roran!" yelped Arya in surprise, "What...?"

"Don't... touch... him!" snarled Roran his eyes showing how truly angry he was.

"Roran what's gotten into you?" asked Eragon, he tried to see into his cousin's mind to see what was going on. He knew from his childhood that when Roran got like this he rarely got around to giving reasons why, thankfully, he behaved like this on mercifully few occasions. Try as he might though, Eragon could not break through Roran's mental barriers. For some reason they were extremely well constructed, probably a result of his current state of mind. He had one focus, and whatever it was it was blocked from Eragon's mental probes by the raw anger Roran was feeling now.

"You haven't noticed her hand have you Eragon?" seethed Roran.

Eragon and Arya blinked and looked at her hand. All they saw was the ring, … Ahhhh, the ring.

"Roran, let me explain." said Arya relaxing.

"No!" bellowed Roran, causing Arya to tense up again, "Eragon has shown you undying love and affection for over a year now and you refuse him at every turn! Now you flaunt a wedding band given too you by someone you did not have the decency to mention to him! I will not stand by and let my cousin be scorned and thrown aside by some self-serving, pointy eared..."

_**ENOUGH!**_ shouted Saphira.

The force of this mental blast caused both Eragon and Arya to flinch, and Roran to release his hold on Arya and jump backwards.

_**You are a fool Roran,**_ said Saphira, _**Eragon, I say again in case you're skull is too thick to **__**allow these words to sink in, Eragon gave Arya the ring. They are engaged.**_

Roran blinked in surprise. Saphira exhaled sharply at him causing him to fall on his rear while still maintaining a shocked expression. It took him a while, but he finally recovered himself.

"Ah, well then," he said as he carefully picked himself up off the blood slicked floor, "Well, umm..."

Arya giggled and Eragon smirked while Saphira did the dragon equivalent of rolling her eyes.

"WELL IT'S ABOUT BLOODY TIME!" bellowed Roran.

Arya and Eragon jumped. Roran clapped them both on the shoulder smiling widely.

"Now for the important question," said Roran in a conspiratorial tone, "Will my children have any second cousins anytime soon?"

Arya glared at him as Eragon and Saphira chuckled.

"What?" asked Roran in a slightly bemused voice, "It's a valid question."

Eragon laughed again as Arya punched Roran lightly on the arm. The three of them and Saphira headed off to find Orik. They knew he was alive, after all, he had led a group of dwarves to find the third egg, and thankfully that wasn't one of Galbatorix's priorities at the time of the battle.


	2. Orik

They found Orik in a small antechamber behind a large flag. It was on the top of the castle, giving Eragon's new muscle something legitimate to complain about. Orik was cradling a green dragon egg. Half a dozen dead dwarves surrounded him, and four times as many dead soldiers of the empire. He looked up from the egg to Eragon, Arya, and Roran. Angry tears were in his eyes and they mixed with the blood oozing from a cut on his forehead.

"This egg had better be worth it Eragon," said Orik, "The bastards killed my friends with concealed traps. They wouldn't even fight fair. The six you see here are just the ones who made it this far."

"I'm sorry Orik," said a downcast Eragon, "I truly am. If there is anything I can do to help, you needn't hesitate to ask."

"There is one thing," said Orik.

"Anything my friend, anything." replied Eragon laying a hand on the dwarf king's shoulder.

"You can include the Dwarves in the riders."

Eragon blinked sharply. He had not expected that, but he saw no reason why not.

"Of course," said Arya sympathetically, "We'll get right on it."

"How?" asked Roran.

"I'm not quite sure," said Arya, "But I do know that the elves salvaged almost all of the library at Doru Araeba. Eragon and I will find a way. It should have been done long ago."

"We have some news that may give some tiny happiness to you Orik, though I am not sure." said Eragon.

"Well out with it then." growled Orik, still clutching the egg.

"Arya and I are engaged."

Orik's head jerked up and he stared at Eragon, eyes wide, mouth hanging open.

"Really?" he croaked out.

Arya and Eragon nodded vigorously. Orik just stared at the two of them for a while, suddenly, he started laughing. He laughed so hard that he dropped the dragon egg. It fell to the floor with a loud clang, causing Roran to flinch as Orik descended to hysterics.

A rather disgruntled Eragon and Arya rolled their eyes as Saphira chuckled. Eragon helped Orik up as the dwarf king continued to chuckle.

"You boy," said Orik jabbing Eragon in the chest, "Are the most complicated being in all of Alagaësia."

"How so?" asked a now rather peeved Eragon.

"First off you're a rider," said Orik counting off on his fingers, "Secondly you've sworn your allegiance to Nasuada. Then there's the fact that you're an adopted dwarf, and now you're telling me you're engaged to the heir of the _elves_. Hands down, the most complicated inhabitant of Alagaësia."

"Does that mean you disapprove my king?" asked Eragon quirking an eyebrow.

"Not at all my dear boy," said Orik, "In fact I'm quite happy for you. Just don't expect Nasuada or Islanzadí to be. Plus you'll probably be outcast by most of normal human society. It'll take time for them to come to trust the elves again."

"Well I don't really care what they think." said Eragon.

"Good on you then," responded the king, "Don't let anyone get in the way of true love. But this goes for the both of you…" Orik's voice took on a deathly tone, "Either of you break the other's heart, and I can't guarantee my ax won't be in someone else's body, instead of on mine."

Arya grinned as Saphira growled at Orik, who defiantly stood his ground and frowned at the dragon.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about." said Arya.

She linked her arm through Eragon's and they set off to find Nasuada.

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A/N: Well I'm enforcing self-control now, NO UPDATES TILL FINALS ARE OVER! If anyone wants to beta the next part please say so.


	3. Nasuada

A rather disgruntled and exhausted Nasuada had not felt like dealing with anything following the conclusion of the battle. As such, when Eragon and Arya had told her they had something terribly important to deal with she did the only thing she could think of at the time, she confined them to their quarters so she could get some sleep. Saphira had laughed herself to sleep at this, and gone of hunting the next morning after a full day's sleep.

Now, a full two days later, Nasuada went to release her friends from captivity. She brushed aside the guards by Eragon's tent and walked in out of the twilight.

"About time you got around to remembering me," said Eragon as he continued to stare at the ceiling of his tent, "Thought you might have forgotten about me."

Nasuada rolled her eyes and grabbed him by his wrist.

"Nasuada, what?" said Eragon as the leader of the Varden wrenched him out of the tent.

"You and Arya said you had something to tell me," said Nasuada, "Well now I'm going to let you tell me, so I don't need any of your smart ass comments. I don't think you'd be up to numerous political meetings after fighting a huge battle either. Your confinement was as much for your sanity as it was for mine."

Eragon blinked, he had not thought of it like that, though he had appreciated the rest, he did not understand at the time why he had been banished to his tent. He followed Nasuada, who had released his wrist by now, to Arya's tent. Nasuada dismissed the guards and entered the tent. She promptly backed out again.

Eragon quirked an eyebrow and smirked. Nasuada glared at him.

"Perhaps you'd like to go talk to an elf confined without explanation?" she snapped at him.

Eragon simply strode into the tent. He quickly realized why Nasuada had exited so quickly. Arya was absolutely livid. Her face quickly softened as she saw Eragon. She wrapped her arms around him in a quick hug, then exited the tent. Eragon followed.

"Right," said an astounded Nasuada, "Let's go back to my tent."

"I would like to ask why we are still in tents," said Arya, "Did we not win the battle? Are we not now the ones in control of Urû'baen?"

"Yes but I'd rather not push our luck with the civilians of the city," said Nasuada, "They may have hated Galbatorix, but they don't really know too much about us. If we just stroll in and claim the city as our own immediately, I doubt it will help their perception of us any."

"True enough."

The three of them walked back to Nasuada's tent. Upon entering Nasuada immediately sat down behind her desk and, with fingers laced beneath her nose, looked at Eragon and Arya expectantly.

"Well?" asked Nasuada, "What was so important?"

Arya folded her arms across her chest and waited. As Nasuada became more and more impatient she scanned her friends looking for any reason for their silence. They had not seemed that angry about their temporary imprisonment, well maybe Arya had, but not Eragon. Suddenly she noticed something on Arya's hand, and her eyes widened in shock.

"Arya," croaked Nasuada pointing at Arya's ring, "Is that what I think it is?"

Arya smiled and placed her hand on Nasuada's desk.

"Yes." she said simply.

"So you and Eragon?" asked Nasuada shock ebbing away and allowing her normal voice to return, "When?"

"After Galbatorix died." said Arya.

She and Eragon proceeded to retell the story of how Glaedr had saved Eragon from certain death, and how life had progressed since then, including their engagement, and their encounters with Roran and Orik. Nasuada simply stared at the two people in front of her for a while, every so often blinking her eyes slowly. Suddenly she banged her head down on the table and let out a muffled scream.

Eragon's eyes widened and he rushed to his liege lord afraid some injury from the battle was causing her pain. As he neared Nasuada suddenly stood up and punched him. Eragon fell quickly into a nearby chair.

"Eragon you have no idea how complicated this makes things!" yelled Nasuada, "You know how Islanzadí is! She'll stall negotiations because of this you know! It makes it twice as difficult with the fact the you are my vassal. She may even try to make me prevent you from marrying Arya! I know full well that there is no way I could do that!"

"Well I..." started Eragon.

"No you keep your mouth shut for a few minutes now!" ordered Nasuada she quickly turned on Arya, "You are the one that really surprised me Arya, why now? You've denied him for so long, and you pick now of all times to accept? You know better than anyone what this would entail. That was one of the reasons you held him off so long. Why not wait until the war is done _and_ settled?"

"Like you did with Murtagh?" sneered Arya.

Nasuada raised her hand and opened her mouth, but nothing was said.

"Anything could happen at anytime Nasuada," said Arya, her face softening, "That's why you married Murtagh when you did."

"But the war is over!"

"And there will still be resentful nobles that will take any and all opportunities to kill anyone that played a major role in Galbatorix's downfall!" yelled Arya, "We are all targets now, and we shall be for a number of years until things settle down. There is no point in putting this off."

Nasuada sat down again. She was out of arguments, but she knew that the politics to come would be twice the hell the were already going to be. Suddenly an idea came to her, one that would make the situation slightly easier for her to handle. She jumped up and turned on Eragon again. Eragon flinched, expecting another punch that was not forthcoming.

"Eragon, I here by release you from your oath of fealty. You are no longer my vassal."

Eragon's jaw dropped and Arya's eyes widened neither of them had been expecting that.

"This will prevent Islanzadí from trying to force me between you two," said Nasuada, "I have no control over either of you, so I cannot do anything about your actions."

Nasuada sighed.

"Now as merely your friend and not your liege lord," said Nasuada smiling, "I congratulate you and I expect to be invited to the wedding."

"Thank you Nasuada," said Arya, "You will be don't worry."

"And I better warn Murtagh not to get on your bad side," said Eragon rubbing his jaw thoughtfully, "That hurt."

Nasuada merely waved them out of the tent laughing.

"Come on then." said Arya as she grabbed Eragon's hand.

"Where are we going?" asked Eragon.

"My tent," said Arya mischievously, "I've missed you."

The walked off together and made sure nobody would disturb them. The things magic can do for your love life.

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A/N: My thanks to my new beta Pie in the Face. Next chapter will either be about Murtagh and Elva, or Angela. Can't decide yet, maybe all three!


	4. Angela

A/N: Short and silly chapter, but then Angela is silly as well, so onward!

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Arya poked her head out of the tent she and Eragon had shared over the night and smiled at the memory. The night had been... pleasurable, surprisingly so. Arya had not felt like that for far too long in her opinion. The lithe elf smiled and let out a slow sigh.

She was suddenly startled out of her contemplations as Angela jumped out from behind another tent. Arya started backwards before glaring at the herbalist. Solembum padded up slowly and grinned at Arya, the elf was suddenly feeling rather uncomfortable, luckily she was fully dressed.

"Well?" demanded Angela.

"Well what?" snarled Arya as she snapped her head to look at Angela.

"I'm not as oblivious as you may think," said Angela, "I know more about the things that happen in this camp then Nasuada does."

"Well not that I really care," growled Arya, her brain still waking up, "But what are you going on about?"

For answer the herbalist pointed at the elf's hand. Arya's eyes widened as she realized that Angela had already found out somehow. How many other people had found out about her and Eragon's relationship? The elf somehow managed to keep her composure as Solembum jumped into Angela's arms.

"I have my sources," said a smirking Angela, "And you are not as clever as you might think you are, Dröttingu."

"Who told you?" asked Arya.

Angela smirked and walked away. Arya followed determined to get an answer from either the accursed herbalist or her werecat companion. The elf reached out to grab the human woman's shoulder, but missed. Angela had rounded a corner sharply and sprinted through a row of tents as Solembum took off in the opposite direction. Arya whipped her head to both directions before taking off after Angela.

The herbalist was surprisingly fast and agile. It was the latter that tripped Arya up. Angela made so many quick turns that Arya was forced more than once to back up and then resume her chase. She eventually tackled Angela in the middle of camp, and pinned the struggling herbalist's arms down so she couldn't escape.

"Well Arya," said Nasuada winking at the elf as she walked up, "Getting a little extra on the side here?"

Arya looked down at the herbalist under her and quickly stood up as Angela wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. The elf wheeled to slap the leader of the Varden in a rare moment of uncontrolled anger. Nasuada expected this however, she knew her comment called for it, and as such she was on the ground before Arya had begun her motion. She quickly jumped up and walked away as quickly as dignity would allow.

Arya decided Nasuada was not worth her time at the moment, besides Angela had not yet answered her question. She faced the still laughing herbalist and glared at her. After a minute or two Angela settled down.

"That was what you intended to happen I assume." said Arya.

Angela nodded, gasping for breath.

"How amusing." snarled Arya, her voice laced with venomous sarcasm, "Now how did you find about Eragon and I?"

"Like I said my dear Arya," said Angela, eyes twinkling as she stood up straight, "You are not so clever as you think."

"How do you mean?"

Solembum padded up and flashed Arya another one of those grins she hated so much.

"You may have stopped anyone from interrupting you and Eragon from your... activities... last night," responded Angela, delighting in her knowledge, "But by no means did you make your tent soundproof."

Arya paled as the herbalist collapsed into laughter once again. The elf quickly strode out of the center of the camp. As she returned to her tent she saw Eragon standing outside it.

"What happened?" he asked, noticing Arya's troubled look.

"I'm not so clever as I thought."

Eragon was confused, but he let the matter drop, opting instead to kiss his fiancé lightly on the head as he wrapped her in a hug. He figured he'd get the story sooner or later.

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A/N: We've reached over 1000 hits on this story, and this is my most alerted story! Woohoo! Thanks guys!


	5. Murtagh & Elva

A/N: HA! I did get this up over the weekend! As I'm finishing my author's notes it is currently 11:56 P.M. where I live!

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Eragon wandered around the Varden camp as dusk began to settle onto the city of tents. Despite Arya's worries, the news of their engagement had not spread like wildfire throughout the camp, indeed it had not spread at all. The few of their friends that had been informed of the situation, or in Angela and Solembum's case figured it out on her own, had had the common courtesy and proper fear of Arya's wrath to keep the news to themselves. As such, Eragon was now looking for Murtagh, whom Nasuada had not informed as of yet.

As he rounded a corner he ran into a small child. Brilliant violet eyes stared up at him as he looked down. Elva's black hair framed her smile as the apparent seven year-old hugged Eragon loosely.

"Hello Elva," said Eragon uncomfortably, he had never gotten used to this version of the child he had cursed what seemed like an eternity ago, "Have you seen Murtagh recently."

"Father said he was going flying with Thorn," said Elva slowly, "He should be back soon."

"Well I'll just wait for him by his tent then." replied Eragon and he proceeded to walk in the direction of said shelter.

"I'll come with you!" said Elva skipping after Eragon, "There's nothing to do right now anyways."

Eragon nodded distantly as he sat down on a large rock by Murtagh's tent and Elva sat by his side. The events that had brought Elva to her current status were complicated and twisted, and they still didn't make complete sense to him. After he had removed the compulsion to help people in pain from Elva's being, she had become sadistic and vengeful. She started to cause people pain just to feel it and now that she was free to do with the knowledge what she would. In matters of the heart and mind she blackmailed people and amassed a level of hatred in the Varden that was normally associated with the ignorants' feelings towards the Urgals.

Eventually she had decided that being a prankster and an extortionist were not enough. In her mind these activities did not cause enough pain to be the equivalent of what she had undergone under the full strength of Eragon's curse. So she turned to betrayal.

Sneaking out in the dead of night, she had made her way out of the camp. After she had gotten some distance out of the camp she noticed someone in the distance quickly making their way towards her. It was with grim satisfaction that she watched and felt one of her 'pranks' break the leg of the unknown person as it lofted him or her into a nearby tree.

So she had proceeded to Urú'Baen. using extortion and the pity of the kinder hearted people that she met she made it to the capital much faster then she would have, and very well fed. Having used the secrets of the two guards she met at the gate to convince them to kill each other she entered the dark king's city. She made it to the palace with little difficulty, no one takes notice of a dirty child in the capital city of a tyrant king. She reached the palace door just as Murtagh walked out of it.

Avoiding being thrown by her ear immediately after requesting audience with the king, she finally gained entrance to the king's throne room via the mark on her forehead. The king had been most pleased to learn of Elva and her wish to betray the Varden. Murtagh was more than uneasy though, he knew how the king treated the spys that came to him of their own accord, they were silenced.

Elva had sensed his unease and asked him what was wrong, this was when he knew he would not let this child die. Just as Gallbatorix was about to purge the information from her mind and leave her an empty shell, Murtagh set the king's throne aflame. As distracting as this was, Elva lost her memories and power, though not her mind. She was still able to function and Gallbatorix had gained nothing from her, the information had simply disappeared, and Elva had slipped into a coma. Murtagh had quickly summoned Thorn and the two of them and Elva had flew back to the Varden, leaving Galbatorix screaming not only about the repair bill that was soon to follow for his castle.

After returning to the Varden Elva awoke under the ministrations of Angela and Murtagh had pledged himself to the Varden. Shortly after Murtagh had adopted Elva, since a few days after Elva had fled camp the Varden had discovered the starved corpse of the person she had ensnared. It was her caretaker, Greta. Luckily for the Elva, she had no recollection of anything, and this included her caretaker.

Eragon looked at the girl beside him now, she was so different from the girl who had her life changed by him. Indeed, she was a completely different person now. Happy, carefree as possible in the aftermath of the war, trusting, and compassionate. His niece was always glad to see him, and he knew she had taken to Murtagh and Nasuada as if they were her real parents.

As Elva swung her legs and stared at the grass the wind picked up sharply. She and Eragon looked up and saw Thorn descending with Murtagh on his back. Elva braced herself against Eragon as he braced himself against the rock.

"Greetings Eragon," said a smiling Murtagh as he jumped off of Thorn's back upon landing, "What brings you here today?"

Eragon smiled as Elva ran to her adoptive father and jumped into his arms. Murtagh laughed and swung her in a tight arc before setting her down and looking expectantly at Eragon.

"I have some news for you," said Eragon, "Arya and I are engaged."

Murtagh blinked, then chuckled and punched Eragon on the shoulder.

"You had me going there for a second," he said his eyes sparkling, "But I think you might have just woke up and you're still living your fantasy."

Eragon folded his arms and glared at him as he continued laugh. This lasted for several minutes before Elva tugged on Murtagh's sleeve.

"Father," she said, "I think Uncle Eragon is quite awake and quite serious."

"Thank you Elva, very observant of you." said Eragon.

Elva shrugged.

"I'm glad for you Uncle, you two should make each other happy." she said. "Although you could have said it yourself you know." she told her Uncle before skipping off through the tents.

Eragon looked back at Murtagh and Murtagh slapped Eragon lightly on the arm.

"What?" asked Eragon sharply.

"Just double checking." said Murtagh, "So you and Arya, hmm? What did you have to do, die?"

"Pretty much." replied Eragon, he then proceed to tell Murtagh the full story.

"You know," said Murtagh shaking his head after Eragon had finished telling his narrative, "I'm not too sure you didn't plan that. Sounds like something you're bullheaded enough to do."

Eragon looked at him in shock.

"Joking, joking." said Murtagh backing away, "That wouldn't have been my question anyway."

"What is it then?" asked Eragon rubbing his temple.

"Is she good in bed?"

Eragon flushed and Murtagh decided that it was time for another flight. He quickly jumped back on Thorn and they quickly ascended into the sky.

_"That cheek of yours is not so good for your health Murtagh,"_ said Thorn, _"You might want to tone it down."

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_

A/N: Who should I do next? I kind of want Islanzadí to be the last chapter but I don't know who to do next besides her. So if you want to see more than one more chapter you have to tell me who you want next. I'm thinking maybe Vanir.


	6. Horst

**Horst**

Eragon strode through the tents not knowing where he was going. He just let his feet lead him wherever it was they were going. The Varden would soon be dispersing to there homes, new or old it mattered not. He rounded a corner and heard the sound of a hammer striking an anvil. Horst was working away, at what Eragon knew not.

He walked up to Horst and looked down at the work. Horst grunted in acknowledgment and continued to work. He was making a small chain, about the right size for a necklace, and he was working in gold. He did not look up at Eragon until he had finished the chain.

"What is the purpose of the chain Horst?" asked Eragon.

"It's for Elaine," the blacksmith responded, "She's been very quiet and hasn't done much but sleep ever since she miscarried. She doesn't eat, she doesn't sleep, she barely moves. She doesn't cry though, she sits, and sighs. Sometimes I feel it's all my fault, sometimes I think its Roran's, and sometimes I think its yours. Then I remember whose fault it really is, and I thank the gods that that bastard Galbatorix is dead and buried."

Horst sighed and pocketed the now cool chain.

"I'm making her a necklace, and I've asked some of the better versed members of the Varden to help me write a poem for her." he continued, "That fuzzy elf, what's his name? Blood... Bloodgarm... Bloodgarnet?"

"Blödhgarm." stated Eragon.

"That's the one." said Horst, "Very helpful he's been. Anyway, I'm hoping to remind Elaine that no matter what's happened, what's happening, or what will happen, I love her all the same. Hopefully that'll be enough to allow her to return to her normal self. Once you find someone who you can say something like that to honestly, you know you're truly in love."

"I already have found someone like that."

Horst looked up and raised an eyebrow. Whether it was in skepticism or amusement Eragon was unsure.

"Really then? Who then? If I am not being too bold in asking?"

"Do you know Arya?" asked Eragon, "She and I are engaged to be wed."

"That's the elf princess yes?" asked Horst smiling, "Sure I know her, Blödhgarm referred me to her for one verse. Didn't find her advice particularly helpful, but different styles I suppose. Any way lad, watch yourself. Politics being the shitstorm that it is you might want to tread lightly."

Horst chuckled and pulled out the chain again. He ran it through his hands and frowned at it. Eragon stared at the blacksmith's anvil as he mulled over the his words. He started as he felt the older man clap him on the back.

"I'm happy for you lad." said Horst, his smile twinkling in his eyes, "You've realized what obstacles there may be and you've accepted that you don't care what they are, you just need to be with her. That's love, just as strong between you and Arya as it is between me and Elaine."

Horst picked up a piece of gold and examined it.

"Don't forget to invite me and my kin to the wedding." said a still smiling Horst, "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to make a locket to go with this necklace, and I work best when I can concentrate fully, alone. Thanks for stopping by Eragon."

Eragon nodded and strode away as Horst heated up his forge again. He smiled the blacksmith's words sticking in his mind.

_You've realized what obstacles there may be _

_and you've accepted that you don't care what they are, you just need to be with her._

Horst really knew what he was talking about sometimes.


End file.
